Removing Rust/ cleaning engines/cars - Classic Toy Trains Magazine

I'll share my mistake with you to prevent anyone else from making the same one:

Don't use rubbing alcohol on painted plastic.

I have a 1957 Lionel GP-7 diesle engine that had dirt that wouldn't wipe off with just a moist rag.
I thought that I'de try rubbing alcohol, since it evaporates quickly, has cleaning properties, and that I thought it would be safe to use.

The GP-7 I have is Wabash RR, made from blue plastic, and has a gray painted roof, with a white painted stripe and letters, on the sides.

When I started useing the cottonball / cue-tip, saturated with alcohol---the gray / white started to smear. I stopped in time, before it got ruined, fortunatly.

Seems that rubbing alcohol acts as a thinning agent on old Lionel painted plastic.

If this post prevents even just 1 person from making this same mistake,--it's worth it.